Oasis Academy Watermead helps families in need during COVID-19 pandemic

A local community primary school in the heart of Sheffield, may well be partially closed but their support to families and community members has been remarkable.

Oasis Academy Watermead have been supported by FareShare Go and The Food Works Sheffield who have donated food enabling the academy to support their families during COVID-19.

Each week Miss Fletcher and Mrs Williams come into the academy after collecting the food, to prepare and sort the products before distributing to families every Monday.

Ashley Cooke, Operations Manager at Food Works Sheffield, commented saying; “It's been fantastic to see the whole city come together to help feed those in need, during this difficult time. On a weekly basis, even during the COVID-19 lockdown, Food Works has been supplying Oasis Academy Watermead with a weekly delivery of fresh produce, bread/bakery items and assorted non-perishables.”

“The Academy has been working very hard redistributing the food, supporting local families, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Keep up the good work!”

Since lockdown began, the academy has delivered 79 individual food parcels to families in the local community which they’re looking at scaling up in the weeks ahead.

Adam Dawson, Principal at Oasis Academy Watermead, said; “It has been fantastic to work with Food Works Sheffield and FareShare Go with a massive thanks to Mrs Bonsall, Miss Fletcher and Mrs Williams for supporting each week.”

“At Oasis Academy Watermead we’re dedicated to supporting our local community, and that is what our ethos is all about and interlinks with our Oasis 9 Habits in many ways. So far we have delivered over 75 food parcels to redundant workers and our most vulnerable school families.”

Kathryn Cook, Community Co-Ordinator at FareShare Go added; “Oasis Academy Watermead were keen to get food out to the families who needed it in these uncertain times, and at FareShare Go we wanted to help anyway we could.”

“The idea behind FareShare Go is stores in the community support local projects and community groups, we were able to connect Oasis Watermead Academy with a slot at the Local Tesco Metro where they can access surplus food from store which is often bakery items and fruit and veg. These food items are often missing from foodbank parcels as it tends to be long-life items that are received, and so provides a wider range for families who have been struggling in these uncertain times.”